


Desperation is a Feeling All On its Own

by Sparrow1000



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Branch's relationships with everyone is the focus, Captivity, F/M, Gristle and Bridget are a couple but their relationship will not get focus, Kidnapping, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-01 10:14:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8620579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparrow1000/pseuds/Sparrow1000
Summary: If Creek wanted to get back into Poppy's good graces, this is not the way to do it.After all, anyone who hurts a hair on Branch's head will face Poppy's wrath.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on http://ask-artsy-oncie.tumblr.com/'s idea of Creek kidnapping Branch.

Creek sighed as he carried Branch’s unconscious body, hidden in his hair, through the forest where everything is usually bright and sunny. It was dark right now because Creek had chosen to kidnap Branch at night to make his get away easier and so that no one would notice Branch was missing for hours. Creek wished there was another way to get what he wanted, he did, but keeping Branch unconscious and captive was the best way to get back at Poppy.

Any time Branch started to wake up, Creek would just pin him down with his hair and use chloroform on him. Branch is so out of it that he can’t fight back and is at Creek’s complete and utter mercy. Probably because of the drugs Creek had managed to slip into his food without Branch noticing. Muscle relaxers and sedatives tended to that to a troll. If Branch’s life is in his hands, Poppy would listen to him.

She had too. 

If she didn’t, he would keep Branch captive until he completely broke him. 

At one point, when they were very young, Branch and Creek had been the best of friends. 

All of that changed when Branch’s grandmother was eaten. 

Creek had tried to help Branch and Branch pushed him away. 

Ever since then, Creek couldn’t get rid of the bitterness in his heart towards Branch.

It was one of the reasons Branch had been so pissed at Creek when he found out Creek was selling them out. Despite everything, Branch had trusted Creek and thought he cared about his fellow trolls. 

And, yes, Creek does care about his fellow trolls. 

Just not as much as he cares about himself. 

If there had been any other way to save himself, Creek would have taken it. 

Creek was pulled out of his musings by a groan from Branch. Immediately, he pinned Branch down and pulled his hair tight around Branch’s arms and legs while using the rest of his hair to put the chloroform cloth to Branch’s face. After a few minutes of feeble struggling, Branch went completely limp in Creek’s hair. Just to be sure, Creek kept some of his hair tight around Branch’s body so he couldn’t move at all. 

After all, who could blame a troll for not wanting to die?


	2. Happiness Is Only a Day Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Gristle Jr. is happy.  
> Only he won't stay that way.

King Gristle Jr. looked at the party that was being put together for the one year anniversary of the day peace was made between the Trolls and the Bergens. Just about every decoration imaginable was covering his kingdom. From streamers to balloons, King Gristle could not have been happier at this moment, especially with Bridget by his side. The party was tomorrow and Poppy and Branch should be here. He couldn’t wait to see them. 

His love had been one of the biggest mediators between the Trolls and the Bergens, along with Poppy and Branch. The four had become best friends during the time after the party because things were still uneasy and uncertain between the Trolls and the Bergens. The Bergens had been eating Trolls for as long as anyone could remember, singing one song together was not going to make that history just disappear. He and Poppy wrote a truce and a contract together about what the new relations between the Trolls and the Bergens should be with Bridget and Branch’s help. Everything was going smoothly and some of the Trolls even lived in his kingdom now while some Bergens went to live with the Trolls

King Gristle was the happiest he had ever been. 

The sound of footsteps behind him had him turning.

“I can’t wait until Poppy and Branch get here! This party is going be so much fun!” Bridget squealed as she danced around in circles and clapped her hands.

Gristle Jr. laughed and grabbed Bridget’s hands before spinning with her. 

Little did he how much his happiness was about to be ruined. 

One of the maids busted into the palace, panting.

Gristle Jr. and Bridget rushed over towards her to help.

“What’s wrong, Isabelle? What happened?” Bridget frantically asked while Gristle Jr. tried to keep her from collapsing. 

Isabelle sobbed with tears running down her face, “We just got word from the Trolls! Branch has been kidnapped!”

King Gristle Jr. felt his world shatter at those words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all.  
> So I've decided to turn this into a multi chaptered fic because I have so many ideas.  
> These first few chapters will be relatively short to introduce the plot before the story really gets going. After that, the chapters will get much longer.  
> Thank you so much for reading.  
> Have a great day!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback Chapter!

On the day of the kidnapping: 

Poppy and Branch sat with the rest of their village to discuss what they need to take with them to the Bergen Kingdom. Everyone, from the children to the elderly, sat in a big crowd around Poppy and Branch, who both were listening to the many suggestions coming their way at once. The sun was shining, the wind making soothing noises, and the flowers nice and tall. 

“We should take some animals who only live here to show the Bergens who have not left their kingdom yet!” 

“We should make up a whole new song for this day of peace!”

Suggestions kept coming and Branch put up his hands to signal for silence but he couldn’t stop the affectionate smile from appearing on his face. 

As birds with different sized beaks flew by, Branch stated, “Alright everyone, calm down, and let’s only take one suggestion at a time, okay?”

“Ah, but Branch!”

“No buts, Shaniqua.” Branch was gentle but firm when dealing with the young girl. 

Sitting beside him, Poppy couldn’t help but think about how much he had changed in the past year. Not too long ago, Branch would have not taken part in any celebrations whatsoever and would have hidden in his house with a huff. 

It was no secret that Branch used to be an outcast. It’s not that the other Trolls did not like him, they did, but Branch’s ranting about the Bergens and his negative outlook on life drove most of the fun loving, positive trolls away. It also didn’t help that any attempts to get Branch involved in activities were met with hostility. Over time, most trolls simply stopped asking because they knew what the answer would be. The few who knew why Branch acted the way he did never said anything out of respect, or at least that is what Poppy assumes since she got rebuffed any time she asked about it.

Branch's actions and additude made so much more sense to her when she finally did find out the truth.

They kept talking about preparations for the party the whole day until the sun began to set. Branch clapped his hands and stretched to get the stiffness out of his back, “Alright everyone, we have to leave very early in the morning on foot, so I think it’s time we each go back to our homes to get some rest. Remember it takes a day to get to the Bergen village through the tunnels and the party is the day after tomorrow. Poppy and I are planning a grand entrance on the morning of the party.” The tunnels are the safest way for the trolls to travel and the Bergens who live with them had their own way to get back to their hometown. 

Protests came from the group and Poppy quirked a smile at Branch and raised an eyebrow at him, “Don’t you mean just you, the rest of us are not old geezers just yet.”

"Who are you calling an old geezer?” The teasing tone in Branch’s voice, the sparkle in his eyes, and his lips pulling up into a smile told Poppy Branch took no offense.

“I think you know, Branchie.” Poppy used the nick name she had come up with two weeks ago, since he had taken to falling asleep in the branches of trees to get closer to the sky. 

The rest of the troll population started laughing at their conversation and this kept Branch from responding to Poppy’s question. Poppy missed the light dusting of embarrassment across Branch’s face, but their closest friends didn’t and looked at each other with amused smiles. 

“Wait, Mr. Branch?” Lily, one of the shyest of the troll children, tentatively walked up to Branch with a tape recorder with a tape inside. 

“What is it?” Branch’s voice was gentle and soft. Again, Poppy marveled at the change in him. Was this really the same person who refused to give a cloud a high five? 

Lily looked down at the ground while rubbing her fists together, “Well, we children recorded ourselves singing “I’ve got this feeling” for the celebration and we wondering if you would like to hear it?”

The smile on Branch’s face was like the sun, “Of course I would, we all would.”

The rest of the children gathered around Branch, Lily, and Poppy as Lily pressed play.

Everyone listened with keen ears and the song was beautiful. Even the animals surrounding their village were quiet for once. 

When the song was finished, the adults and teenagers clapped and cheered while Poppy, Branch, and the children hugged.

Pulling back, Branch firmly stated, “Alright, the sun has gone down, so now go to bed.”

“Alright, alright good night, Branch.” The children giggled. 

Branch started walking back towards his house to get something to eat, shower, pack and then sleep. 

“Good night everyone!” Branch waved while walking away. 

Poppy watched him leave while everyone left to prepare for the trip and sleep with a huge smile on her face.

She couldn’t wait for the new adventure that would start tomorrow!

No one in the village was aware of the evil that lurked in their mists and the unfortunate fate that awaited an unsuspecting Branch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Question for Everyone: Would you prefer for Branch and Poppy to stay friends or would you prefer for them to become a couple?


	4. Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooper was expecting the day to be great.  
> Not for it to turn into a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly a flashback.  
> I will be fleshing out the Snack Pack as they are called because none of them except for Branch and Poppy got substantial time in the movie. I will be expanding on the few traits we did see. Cooper is up first.  
> Since this chapter has parts that take place in the later morning after the kidnapping and has a flashback during the early morning hours, I put the flashback in italics to make it easier to distinguish the two.

It was supposed to be a good day, filled with laughter and cheer.

It started out that way, but it did not stay that way.

Cooper started out his morning waking up to excitement, singing, and dancing.

Daylight had only just begun and the chirping of the birds rang through the air, the chirps being the rhythm behind the song the trolls were singing.

The trolls were gathering at the tunnels with provisions and with a torch in each hand. The children had a buddy system and each pair had an assigned adult.

Yesterday had been amazing and Cooper was feeling great from all the love he felt from his friends.

Now, Copper and some of his friends were staying behind to go on a mission with Poppy, the mission being to rescue Branch and confront Creek, while the Bergens in their village and the rest of the trolls were still going to the Bergen Kingdom where they would be safe. It's just instead of going for a party, they are going for an evacuation. Who knows if Creek would come back? The dude has clearly lost his mind and now Cooper is in a state he never thought he’d be in: worried for Branch’s life. Creek had already set them all up once and is doing God knows what to Branch right now; Poppy isn't going to allow Creek the chance to hurt another troll again. Poppy had written a note to King Gristle and Bridget explaining what had happened, why no Bergen could help with this mission and had given it to the Bergens in the village who were going back to their hometown. It takes them less than half the time it does the Trolls to get to Bergen Town. King Gristle needed to know what had happened as soon as possible, which is why the Bergens would not be carrying any trolls, so they wouldn't have to worry about dropping them in their haste to get to Bergen Town. It would put Branch’s life in even more danger if Creek saw a Bergen when it is time to confront him. Everyone going on this rescue mission besides Poppy are already going to have to stay out of Creek’s sight completely.  He may even have other creatures working for him. Creek is extremely charismatic and manipulative, so it wouldn’t surprise Cooper if he did.

Cooper thought back on the events from earlier this morning that had kick started this complete nightmare of a day. What was supposed to be a party was now turned into something cruel and twisted. Cooper hated Creek more than he hated that one Bergen Chef.

  _Cooper, Biggie, Guy Diamond, and some of the trolls were singing and dancing as they walked to the tunnels through the blue and pink flowers, careful to avoid the routes that the creatures who wanted to eat them inhabited. They were at a distance where those creatures could not hear them. Poppy and Branch had been careful when picking the route their village would take to the tunnels, using past experiences to guide them. In the beginning, it was weird to use the tunnels for something other than an emergency; to use them to visit the Bergens. Now, neither Cooper or the others blinked an eye at going back and forth from the Troll Village to Bergen Town._

_The singing abruptly stopped when they got to the trolls and saw the looks on the faces of the ones who were already there._

_Cooper was confused about why they were not smiling and singing. Tomorrow was supposed to a celebration about unity and peace. So, why did they look so concerned and worried?_

_“I’m sure he’ll show up any minute now.” DJ Suki patted Poppy on the shoulder and leaned her head against the Queen’s._

_Fuzzbert chimed in “Yeah, he wouldn’t miss this for the world.”_

_Poppy looked at them both before replying, “I don’t think so. It isn’t like him to be late like this. In fact, I thought he would be the first one here. I know in my bones something is very wrong.”_

_Smidge, Biggie, Guy Diamond, and Cooper looked at each other with brows furrowed. What in the world was going on here?_

_Guy Diamond decided to cut in because his curiosity was getting the better of him, “Ugh, could one of you please explain what is going on?”_

_Satin and Chenille looked at each other, they had a silent conversation before answering him, “It’s Branch, no one has seen him since he left last night and he’s very late.”_

_For a second, the air was tense before Cooper cut in with a joke to try and ease his friends’ worry, “Hey now, I’m sure he’s okay, he probably overslept or something. And, if he did, we can make fun of him for it for the rest of his life.” Cooper teased his friends and laughed quietly at the mere thought. Cooper always teased his friends. Heck, Branch is Cooper’s favorite friend to tease because he gets so riled up and his reactions are hysterical._

_Truth be told, Cooper had always felt a sort of kinship with Branch because they both understand what is like to feel like an outsider. He had never acted on it before peace was made between the Bergens and Trolls because Branch's negativity tainted any kinship Cooper felt.  Cooper sometimes did feel like he didn't fit in because his body type was not like the others. He and Branch had a long talk about feeling like an outsider a couple of months after peace had been made and Cooper has come to see Branch as one of his friends._

_“NO!!!” Poppy’s hostile shout had Cooper flinching back and the rest of the trolls gasping in surprise. It was so out of character for Poppy._

_Poppy looked at Cooper and her expression softened and filled with remorse, “I’m sorry, Cooper, I did not mean to speak so harshly to you, but this is something Branch would never do. He knows how important tomorrow is and he knows how important it is that we leave on time. Something is very wrong because he is the most punctual and rule abiding troll we know.” Cooper could see Poppy’s eyes filling with tears and it broke his heart into tiny shards._

_Cooper paused for a second and considered Poppy’s words before conceding that she was right. Branch would never do this. He would sooner pluck out his own vocal cords than be late to something this important._

_Biggie’s voice held a tremble in it, “Alright, so what do we do?”_

_Poppy firmly answered while looking at them all, “Guy Diamond, Smidge, and Cooper, you three come with me to check on Branch while the rest of you stay here and wait on us to get back.”_

_Guy Diamond, Smidge, and Cooper immediately got ready to go and handed their packed bags to their friends to hold onto._

_Satin and Chenille hugged Poppy with all their might, “Be careful okay? We don’t know what might have happened.” Chenille made sure Poppy heard her._

_Poppy hugged them back, “We will be. You guys be careful as well.”_

_Satin and Chenille just hugged her tighter._

_The four of them were leaving when a small voice stopped them._

_Lily ran up to Poppy and hugged her around her waist, “You will find out what’s wrong, right?”_

_Poppy bent down to look the little girl in the eyes, “Nothing in this universe will stop me.”_

_And they left with the rest of their village watching them._

_When they got to Branch’s house, they immediately noticed the door was open and it put them on high alert because that was out of character for the cautious troll. Branch's security systems should be going off right now but they aren't and Branch is nowhere to be seen._

_They approached the house with the hair on their arms standing on end because no telling what had happened or who could still be lurking inside._

_Guy Diamond stepped into the doorway of Branch’s house in a fighting stance with Smidge, Poppy, and Cooper ready to help him at any given moment._

_Poppy instructed the three of them with a whisper, “Stay together. I don’t want anything to happen to the three of you. Don’t call out Branch’s name or say anything until we know for sure there is no enemy here.” They could tell by her firm tone that she meant business. Poppy learned to be way more cautious after the party attracted Chef to them a year ago and Creek betrayed them. They didn’t want anything to happen to her either._

_They searched Branch’s house, minds clouded with ideas of what might have happened to Branch but still on high alert for any threats. They searched every room in his house from his bedroom to his bunker to his living room and saw nothing out of order. Everything had its place and there was no dirt to be seen._

_Finally, it came down to one last place: the kitchen._

_They proceeded with extreme caution._

_When they got to the kitchen there was no one there but they immediately noticed how messy and out of place everything was. And the note addressed to Poppy left on the fridge, with Branch's hug bracelet attached to it with a piece of tape._

_The kitchen was a mess, way too messy to be Branch's kitchen. There was a half-eaten sandwich on the floor, a cup of juice split all over Branch’s kitchen table, the fridge was left open, and the contents of his counter on the floor. There were pictures, pots, pans, napkins, and many other things all over the kitchen the floor. The kitchen window was also left open._

_Branch had either been stumbling around or there had been a massive struggle in this very area._

_Either option scared them to their core because one thing was for sure: Branch did not leave on his own volition and he was nowhere to be found._

_Poppy immediately ran to the fridge and ripped the note off the door, taking Branch's bracelet in hand._

_Smidge, Guy Diamond, and Cooper gathered around her to read the note with her._

_“Dearest Poppy,_

_I have taken Branch to a place that you and the others will never be able to find on your own. It is where I will be keeping him until my demands are met. And, trust me Poppy, Branch will be in no shape to rescue himself. Even as you read this note, he is at my mercy. I have been planning this for months now. Meet me at our secret hideout, the one where we first met, the one that nobody besides the two of us know about in five days so we can discuss my terms or you will never see Branch again. Alive, anyway. And, come alone. If you do not follow my instructions completely, bring anyone else with you, or refuse to meet my demands, then Branch will die alone and in pain. If you bring someone else with you, it will nullify everything else and I will never tell you where he is no matter what. Branch will be having a nice vacation._

_Yours truly,_

_Creek”_

_The bottom dropped out of Cooper’s stomach and the world froze. CREEK????! Cooper thought that guy had died with Chef or at least was long gone. Cooper felt rage swell up within him. How dare Creek do this after everything he put them through? First, he betrayed them just to save his own skin and now he kidnapped Branch who has done nothing to deserve this treatment? Cooper is going to rip this guy’s head off the next time he saw him!_

_When Creek had betrayed them, it felt like someone had pierced Cooper’s heart with a thousand daggers. At first, Cooper and the others had been in denial. There was no way Creek would betray them, he had been part of their friend group for years. He was so close to them, he must have a plan and is just tricking the Bergens, right? Cooper had clung to that hope until Chef had opened the pot and dropped the entire Troll species in._

_It was something Cooper would never completely get over._

_Smidge snorted, her fury obvious in her tone and stance, "Creek using the word trust in a sentence about himself? What a joke."_

_Poppy started breathing heavily, ripped the note, and dropped to her knees, with Branch's bracelet pressed to her chest, sobbing the most agonizing sounds Cooper had ever heard._

_Smidge, Cooper, and Guy Diamond rushed over to Poppy and hugged her tight. The four of them stayed like that until Poppy had calmed herself down._

_Cooper went to pick up the half-eaten sandwich and Poppy’s calm, even voice stopped him, “Do not, Cooper. We do not know how he got Branch out of here without no one noticing, but it might have had something to do with what Branch ate.”_

_Cooper leaned down and sniffed the sandwich, “But it doesn’t smell funny.”_

_Guy Diamond and Smidge stared at him while Poppy answered him with exasperation in her voice, “It could have been odorless and tasteless drugs for all we know.”_

_Guy Diamond butted in while he and Smidge helped her up, “Why is Creek back? Why now? Is this a trap? What does he want? And does he really think any of us would let you go alone? Where is this secret hide out? And where would he keep Branch? Where he’s staying maybe? Why five days? How did he know how to disarm Branch's security systems?"_

_"I don’t know the answer to most of those questions, but we need to regroup with the others and discuss a strategy.” Poppy stated, her eyes blazing with fury and determination.  As much as Poppy wanted to go in all guns blazing right now, she has no idea where Creek is holding Branch and they need to come up with a battle strategy._   _She put Branch's hug bracelet in her pocket until she could give it back to him. And she WOULD be giving it back to him._

_And what that, the four of them ran back to the entrance of the tunnels._

One thing is for sure to Cooper: Branch had come to rescue them when they needed it and he brought back everyone’s colors when they all had turned gray.

Branch came through when they needed him, now it is time for them to come through for him.

Cooper is not going to stop until Branch is back with them safe and sound.

Creek will pay for what he has done. It's time to take that traitorous troll down, once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the responses to my question about Broppy ended with more people saying they wanted to them to become a couple, I have decided to make them a couple. However, they won't become a couple until the very end and Poppy won't realize her feelings until well into the story. There will be some romance in this story, but since this story is about Branch's relationships with everyone, there won't be that much romance.
> 
> Also, Cooper tossing that lit match at Chef heavily influences his characterization in this story, he does not take betrayal well. At all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creek proves to be just as resourceful as Branch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Creek and Branch!  
> Creek is so much fun to write and I think it's because he's such a sleaze.  
> Italics=Flashback

Creek continued walking towards his destination, making sure to keep Branch out of sight and secure in his hair. As he made his way through the trees and bushes towards a secluded area hidden by a vast forest that one could easily get lost in if they didn’t know it like Creek did, he thought about how he managed to survive the monster that had eaten Chef. Not that he would be crying about that demon’s death any time soon.

_He remembers being shot out of the castle on a pot with Chef. She had tried to eat him even after she had promised not to. He was glad that monster ate her. As he fell in with her, he used his hair to slow down his fall and to propel himself back up towards the top. After taking the time to be relived he had managed to survive almost being eaten twice (because there is nothing more horrifying to Creek than being another creature’s lunch), he got very angry._

_How could things end up like this? All because he didn’t want to be eaten?_

Creek shook himself out of his daze as the splashing of fish in a huge pond alerted him that he was nearing the place he would be keeping Branch. It was a house hidden within a multitude of flowers that a passerby would just assume is field of them. The flowers were of various colors and shapes, but they were all very tall and thick. No one would ever think to look for a victim of a kidnapping in such a quiet, hidden, beautiful area _._

_When Creek had first been looking for a new place to stay, he got pretty beat up running from monsters. Then, he found this forest and these flowers by accident one day. Some would even call it fate, especially since Creek had found there were no carnivorous monsters in this area that would like to eat him after searching all over to make sure this place would be the right one. He built himself a house; all trolls are taught architecture from the moment they are born. He used wood from trees and many other things from the forest._

_However, it took him two weeks to figure out how to get out of the forest again. After several periods of trial and error over the course of a few weeks, he finally managed to carve out a clear path in and out of the forest in his mind._

_He had tried to resist going back to the Troll Village, but he couldn’t. On the outskirts of the village, he heard them, specifically him. Creek would recognize that voice anywhere. Branch was singing with Creek’s friends! Which only served to make Creek livid. How dare Branch take what is rightfully Creek’s!_

_The fact that he had sold the Trolls out when Branch had gone to save them didn’t matter to Creek, Branch was going to pay and Creek was going to get everything he rightfully deserved._

_He had been thinking on how to get back into the good graces of the trolls; Poppy had liked him and a part of him had banked on becoming King one day because of the power it would give him. He still had no idea how he was going to go about getting what he deserved and getting back at Branch, but the answer came to him very quickly when he overheard their conversation after they had finished singing._

_He got closer to get a good look, while using his hair to disguise himself as a bush, he saw them sitting together and Branch had his colors back. Which Creek had pretty much guessed when he first heard Branch sing back at the Bergen castle. Branch wouldn’t be singing if he was still gray. Branch’s colors didn’t surprise him, either, because they had sung together all the time when they were very young._

_Poppy had stared at the empty space in her scrapbook where Creek’s picture had been, “I can’t believe I ever had a crush on that selfish jerk.”_

_With a frown on his face, Biggie sighed, “I can’t decide if we ever really knew him or if he just snapped.”_  
  
_Suki picked at the grass beneath her fingertips, “The thing that bothers me the most about him selling us out was how easily he was able to do it, did we really mean that little to him?”_

_At that question, everyone sitting around the fire went silent, each contemplating the relationship they once had with Creek._

_Every memory, every birthday gift, every picture, everything good pertaining to Creek meant nothing but pain to them now._

_Branch stood up from where had been leaning against an oak tree, walked over towards a dejected Poppy, and put his arm around her._

_“Well, you still have all of us. And none of us will ever betray you like he did.”_

_The rest of the trolls cheered while Poppy hugged Branch tight. The affection on her face spoke volumes about how she felt about Branch. She looked at him like he hung the moon and the stars._

_Poppy may not realize it, but Creek could see it. Poppy has a crush on Branch; she just does not know it yet._

_Creek began making his plan as Poppy released Branch from the hug and then linked arms with him._

_Creek wished there was an easier way to get the power he wants because it was going to take a good deal of planning to make sure kidnapping Branch would go the way it should._  
  
Once again, Creek was pulled out of his musings by the sounds of the forest surrounding them. The wind blowing through the flowers made for a pleasing melody.

The irony of it all was not lost on Creek and made him chuckle.

He reached the house he had built in the middle of the flowers, opened the door, and went straight to the basement. When he first made the house, he had not included a basement. After coming up with a plan, he made it to have a place to keep Branch that would be very discreet. The door to the basement was in what appeared to be a storage closet in the very back of the house. Creek would be keeping some things in the closet itself so it would look more authentic and the walls of the basement were as thick as he could make them. Creek had gotten most of his stuff from neighboring towns and villages where the creatures were around the size of a troll. He wore a hat and a long coat the entire time (that he had stolen) so no one would recognize him as easily. He stole the stuff when no one was looking. Most of his food came from the forests, berries and nuts that Creek had found was safe through watching other creatures feast on them.

Creek opened the closet door, pushed his books and supplies to the side, and pulled the string that connected to the door of the basement. He carried Branch down the steps to where wrist cuffs and ankle cuffs were connected to the basement wall. Next to them is more stuff Creek is going to need while holding Branch.

Before he lowered Branch to the ground with his hair, he stuck the chloroform cloth to his face for a couple of minutes. It may seem like overkill, but Branch is very smart and Creek couldn’t take the chance he was only pretending to be unconscious.

He put Branch down in a sitting position against the wall and attached the wrist and ankle cuffs to him. Branch wouldn’t have much room to move; with the cuffs on he could sit down and lay down but not stand up. He couldn’t hold his arms out straight and the ankle cuffs would be locked together while still attached to the wall. With these, Branch wouldn’t be able to pull his legs apart to kick at Creek.  He picked up the hair ties and clips next to Branch and used to them pin Branch’s long hair down flat to his head. Next, he put a helmet, with holes for Branch’s ears, on Branch’s head and made sure it was tight. Creek had to make sure none of Branch’s hair would get loose. If it did, he might try and use it to escape or fight Creek. Next, he put a gag in Branch’s mouth and tied it around his face.

Creek wasn’t really worried about anyone hearing Branch yell because no one was around for over a mile and the walls of the basement are thick; he just didn’t want to hear Branch’s mouth when he is in the basement with him. Besides, even when Branch woke up, the drugs would still be in his system causing him to be sluggish, tired, and confused.

Creek went back upstairs to meditate.

He would go back down to the basement in a few hours with some water and food for Branch. Well, just enough food and water for him to survive, anyway.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short, school is kicking my butt.


End file.
